Slide fastener socket



NOV. 17,y 1936. Q JOHNSQN 2,061,466

SLIDE FASTENER SOCKET Filed June'22, 1954 v :fa/vena zi.- mavcb hr1/Son,y 1%* Patented Nov. 17, 1936 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLIDEFASTENER SOCKET Application June 22, 1934, Serial No. 731,931

5 Claims.

lVLy invention aims to provide improvements in slide fastener sockets ofthe type adaptable to adjustable assembly with a strap or the likesupporting article.

In the drawing, which shows preferred forms of my improved socket:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a preferred form of the socket assembledWith a strap;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showingthe relative positions of stud and socket under lateral stress;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged bottom plan View of the socket shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan View of the socket shown in Fig. lremoved from the strap;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 'l is a bottom plan View of another form of my improved socket.

The preferred forms of my invention shown in the accompanying drawingboth present a simple, sturdy slide-fastener socket for use with a rigidstud and adapted to be adjustably mounted on a supporting strap. Theforms as shown are also Iprovided with a lateral locking device which isa useful addition to the usual snap fastener slide socket.

The specic form of my improved socket as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6inclusive presents a slide-fastener socket having a main plate part Iprovided with strap-receiving slots 2-2 located at opposite ends, astud-receiving aperture 3 located between the slots, a spring-retainingmeans comprising a plate lI with extensions 5-5 passing through theslots 2-2 and bent over plate I thus securing plate 4 to plate I.

Plate I is slightly curved (Fig. 2) and I have provided sides la bentsubstantially at right angles to plate I on either side as in Fig. 6,togive the socket strength and to enhance its appearance.

The aperture 3 is elongated toward each of the strap-receiving slots 2-2(Figs. 4 and 5), and I have provided a similar elongated aperturecorrespondingly located in the spring-retaining plate 4. Between themain plate I and the retaining plate 4, I have assembled a spring havinga pair of yieldable jaws 8 (Figs. 4 and 5), which jaws intersect theaperture 3 and extend along the sides of the aperture as shown in Figs.4 and 5. The jaws substantially conform in shape to the sides of theaperture; that is, they are closer to each other adjacent to the narrowelongations of (Cl. 2li-77) the. aperture 3 than they are adjacent tothe median opening of the aperture. The jaws are also formed so as to beinside the aperture rather than outside it, and so assembled in thecasing as to be in a plane parallel to the planes of the 5- plates I and4. This relation is clearly shown in Figs. 4 through 6, an-d is anecessary feature of the socket since the function of the spring jaws isto grip the constricted neck 9 of the cooperating stud (Fig. 2).

The spring-retaining plate is` further provided with a series of lugs I0struck from it and extending into contact with the plate I (Figs. 4 and5). The function of these lugs I8 is twofold. The first is to preventthe casing from collapsing under pressure and the second function is tocheck the lateral expansion of the stud-engaging jaws 8. The purpose ofthis checking action will be brought out in the following description ofthe mode of operation of the socket. 20

When the socket is snapped over the head II of the cooperating stud(Fig. 2), the head II spreads the jaws 8 and enters the aperture 3 ofthe main plate I. The neck 9 is then adjacent to the spring jaws 8 whichcontract upon it. When the supporting strap is subjected to lateralstress, as in the case of a cross-strap on a shoe, the neck 9 of thestud is forced into one of the narrow elongations of the aperture 3. Thelugs II) are so placed that their distances from the edge o-f theaperture 3 are less than the thickness of the material of the springjaws 8, and the neck 9 of the stud is of such diameter that when theneck is forced into the narrow elongation each jaw of the spring will bepressed against its retaining lug. Thus the neck 9 of the stud isengaged in a rigid aperture from which, because of the relativelylargefsize of the head II of the stud, it cannot be disengaged except byrelaxing the tension on the strap and allowing the stud to slip backinto the wide part of the opening, whence it may be easily withdrawn.This incorporation of the well-known keyhole slot principle into theyieldable stud-engaging socket is of great value in any case where thesocket is to be used under lateral stress, since under stress the studis locked into the socket and with the stress relaxed the socket isprevented from accidental dislodgement by its spring stud-engagingmeans.

The form of my improved socket shown in Fig. 'I differs from theabove-described socket only in details of construction. The principleupon which it operates is the same. The specific construction shownconsists of a one-piece springretaining casing with which I haveprovided an elongated stud-receiving aperture I3 located betweentransversely disposed strap-receiving slots I2 at opposite ends of thecasing. The springretaining casing (Fig. 7) consists of a plate I 4having a plurality of extensions I5 adapted to being bent back over theplate itself, and I have further provided the plate with a series oflugs I 6 surrounding the aperture I3. These lugs are struck from theplate itself and are integral with it.

I have also provided a spring assembled between the plate and theextensions I5 and held in place by the extensions I5, said spring havinga pair of yieldable stud-engaging jaws I'I intersecting the aperture I3and extending along the periphery of the aperture. These jaws I1substantially conform in shape to the contour of the aperture I3, beingin closer proximity to each other adjacent to the narrow elongation ofthe aperture than they are adjacent to the wider median opening. Thejaws I I are located between the. lugs I6 and are prevented by them fromexcessive lateral expansion for the purpose set forth above. The lugs ofnecessity extend outwardly from the plate on the side adjacent thespring and are of a length at least equal to the thickness of thematerial of the spring jaws.

As stated above, the principle of this socket and the mode of operationof the same are similar to that of the first-described form of myirnproved socket. This socket is also adapted to be adjustably attachedto a supporting strap and is for use with the same type of stud as abovedescribed.

While I have illustrated and described preferred forms of my invention,I do not wish to be limited thereby, as the scope of my invention isbest illustrated by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A slide fastener socket having a springholding casing provided withstrap-receiving slots at opposite ends, said casing having astud-receiving aperture between said slots and having narrowingelongations extending toward each of said slots thereby to providenarrowing elongations at opposite ends of said aperture for receivingand engaging a stud when said stud is moved laterally relative to themedian of said aperture, a spring assembled in said casing and having atleast one yieldable jaw extending in the direction of elongation andintersecting said aperture entirely along one side.

2. A slide fastener socket having a springholding casing provided withstrap-receiving slots at opposite ends, said casing having astudreceiving aperture having at least one narrow elongation extendingtoward one of said slots thereby to provide a narrowing elongation at atleast one end of said aperture for receiving and engaging a stud whensaid stud is moved laterally relative to the median of said aperture, aspring assembled in said casing and having a pair of yieldablestud-engaging jaws intersecting said stud-receiving aperture entirelyalong opposite sides thereof, said jaws being spaced farther apartadjacent to the center of said aperture than they are adjacent to theouter end of the elongation of said aperture.

3. A slide fastener socket having a springholding casing provided withstrap-receiving slots at opposite ends, said casing having astudreceiving aperture between said slots and having narrowingelongations extending toward each of said slots thereby to providenarrowing elongations at opposite ends of said aperture for receivingand engaging a stud when said stud is moved laterally relative to themedian of said aperture, a spring assembled in said casing and having apair of yieldable stud-engaging jaws intersecting said stud-receivingaperture and extending toward the strap-receiving slots, and said jawsconverging from the mid-portion of said stud-receiving aperture towardeach slot for the purpose described.

4. A slide fastener socket having a plate part provided withstrap-receiving slots at opposite ends thereof, a spring-retaining partsecured to said plate part, a spring located between said parts andhaving at least one yieldable jaw intersecting a stud-receiving aperturethrough one of said parts, the stud-receiving aperture having at leastone narrowing elongation extending in a direction toward one of saidstrap-receiving slots to provide an engaging means for preventingseparation of a stud from said aperture as a result of lateral strainupon said stud, means for securing the two parts together and aplurality of lugs formed from one of said parts and having their ends incontact with the other part to maintain a predetermined spacing betweensaid parts for the purpose described.

5. A slide fastener socket having a plate part provided withstrap-receiving slots at opposite ends thereof, a spring-retaining partsecured to said plate part, a spring located between said parts andhaving at least one yieldable jaw intersecting a stud-receiving aperturethrough one of said parts, the stud-receiving aperture having at leastone narrowing elongation extending in a direction toward one of saidstrap-receiving slots to provide an engaging means for preventingseparation of a stud from said aperture as a result of lateral strainupon said stud, means for securing the two parts together and aplurality of lugs formed from one of said parts and extending toward theother part and adapted to control lateral motion of the said spring jaw.

GUSTAV JOHNSON.

